Rumors

Backup battle still up in the air

The good news is the &quot;practice games,&quot; as Patriots coach Bill Belichick called them last night, have come to a conclusion. The bad news may be that the Patriots look like they need more practice to be ready for the regular season.<br /><br /> <p>Practice was the only thing quarterback Tom Brady did this preseason, never taking a snap in a game.</p> <p>New England's signal-calling savior, who is nursing a sore right foot, sat out again last night, setting the stage for his backups to battle for their NFL existences, although a 19-14 loss to the New York Giants at Giants Stadium cemented the Patriots' first winless preseason since 1990.</p>

Flipping switch

Passionate <a href="http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots.bg"><strong>Patriots</strong></a><font color="#888888"> [<a href="http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=bostonherald&amp;page=nfl/teams/077/team.aspx?id=077">team stats</a>]</font> fans shaken by their team&rsquo;s subpar play during its 0-3 preseason can seek solace in the thought that, as soon as the games count, the Pats will snap back into form. <p>And that may well be what happens two weeks hence.</p> <p>But Patriots players made it clear after Friday&rsquo;s uninspiring 27-17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles they can&rsquo;t simply assume all will be well when the regular-season curtain goes up.</p>

Vince Wilfork won’t talk ‘dirty

Last season, a string of questionable hits by <a href="http://news.bostonherald.com/search/?keyword=Vince+Wilfork&amp;searchSite=recent"><strong>Vince Wilfork</strong></a><font color="#888888"> [<a href="http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=bostonherald&amp;page=nfl/teams/077/playeraaa.aspx?id=4347,team=077">stats</a>]</font> and accompanying fines by the league led to a reputation the <a href="http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots.bg"><strong>Patriots</strong></a><font color="#888888"> [<a href="http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=bostonherald&amp;page=nfl/teams/077/team.aspx?id=077">team stats</a>]</font> defensive lineman wanted no part of and staunchly defended himself against. <p>Dirty player?</p> <p>First, there was the low tackle on Bills quarterback J.P. Losman. Then the late hit on Cowboys tight end Jason Witten. That was followed by the finger-poke inside the facemask of Giants running back Brandon Jacobs during the regular-season finale. And, finally, a grab to Michael Turner&rsquo;s facemask in the AFC Championship Game also cost him.</p>

Gutierrez managed to score some points

Matt Gutierrez had 14 completions in 20 pass attempts, which on both counts was six more than the Other Matt. He threw for 217 yards, which was 157 more than the Other Matt. And he fired touchdown passes of 1 yard and 9 yards to cap second-half scoring drives of 71 and 99 yards. <div id="articleEmbed"> <div id="relatedContent" class="embed"> </div> </div> <p>The Other Matt? Matt Cassel wasn't nearly as productive. Tom Brady's backup completed 8 of 14 for 60 yards and was sacked three times for 16 yards while Brady sat out his third consecutive exhibition game.</p> <p>Gutierrez was a different story. The third-year quarterback from Idaho State via Michigan seemed to seize an opportunity with his spirited second-half effort in Friday night's 27-17 preseason loss to the Philadelphia Eagles at Gillette Stadium.</p>

Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel wear new helmet headsets in Patriots loss

For the first time during the preseason, the <a href="http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots.bg"><strong>Patriots</strong></a><font color="#888888"> [<a href="http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=bostonherald&amp;page=nfl/teams/077/team.aspx?id=077">team stats</a>]</font> employed the newly allowed head-set communication system for the defense in Friday night&rsquo;s loss to the Eagles. <p><a href="http://news.bostonherald.com/search/?keyword=Tedy+Bruschi&amp;searchSite=recent"><strong>Tedy Bruschi</strong></a><font color="#888888"> [<a href="http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&amp;page=nfl/teams/077/playeraaa.aspx?id=701,team=077">stats</a>]</font> and Mike Vrabel each had the green dots on the back of their helmets, signifying they could receive playcalls from the sideline when they were in the game.</p> <p>Coach <a href="http://www.bostonherald.com/search/?searchSite=true&amp;keyword=Bill+Belichick&amp;mode=score&amp;sorting=pubdate"><strong>Bill Belichick</strong></a> said the system was used throughout the first half and to a lesser degree in the third quarter.</p>

Pats allow 2 TD returns

This was hardly the trifecta the <a href="http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots.bg"><strong>Patriots</strong></a><font color="#888888"> [<a href="http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=bostonherald&amp;page=nfl/teams/077/team.aspx?id=077">team stats</a>]</font> hoped to hit as they played their next-to-last pre-season game last night at Gillette Stadium. <p>The offense was again largely ineffectual while the game remained competitive in the first half, and the defensive play remained a long way from championship caliber.</p> <p>And to this troubling mess add a dreadful night&rsquo;s work by the New England special teams, which allowed two long kick returns for touchdowns in the Philadelphia Eagles&rsquo; 27-17 victory.</p>

Jerod Mayo a big hit in debut

OK, Jerod Mayo made a big play last night. <p>And, what, you expected <a href="http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots.bg"><strong>Patriots</strong></a><font color="#888888"> [<a href="http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=bostonherald&amp;page=nfl/teams/077/team.aspx?id=077">team stats</a>]</font> coach <a href="http://www.bostonherald.com/search/?searchSite=true&amp;keyword=Bill+Belichick&amp;mode=score&amp;sorting=pubdate"><strong>Bill Belichick</strong></a> to light off fireworks during his postgame press conference?</p> <p>New season, same old coach. Belichick, as is his style - especially in the preseason, especially when a rookie is involved - chose to downplay the performance of the linebacker during his media session following the Pats&rsquo; 16-15 loss to the Baltimore Ravens last night at Gillette Stadium.</p>

Sorry exhibition

It was the football version of &quot;It's a Wonderful Life&quot; for Tom Brady last night. He got to see what the Patriots would look like without him, and it was less than wonderful for him and everybody else at Gillette Stadium to watch.<br /><br />Coldplay was the band Brady went to see in concert recently, and it was also an accurate description of the team's quarterback play without No. 12 last night in its exhibition opener against the Baltimore Ravens.

The four-man line rushed into things

What type of X's and O's conclusions can be drawn from an exhibition in which the Patriots kept 19 players on the sideline, including quarterback Tom Brady and receiver Randy Moss, and looked generally inept?<br /><br />Not many, to be frank, although given one of the Patriots' top defensive objectives this year, there was one noticeable bright spot: Rushing only four players early in the first quarter last night against the Baltimore Ravens, they generated pressure, leading to a sack of Kyle Boller, a forced fumble, and a recovery.

Patriots provide an education in sudden impact

Studies have likened the force of an NFL tackle to a car accident, but not all accidents are created equal. Some are minor fender benders. Others are total wrecks. <p>Figuratively speaking, every player has experienced a blow that left him needing the Jaws of Life. Yesterday following practice, a number of <a href="http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots.bg"><strong>Patriots</strong></a><font color="#888888"> [<a href="http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=bostonherald&amp;page=nfl/teams/077/team.aspx?id=077">team stats</a>]</font> described the hardest they&rsquo;ve ever been hit.</p> <p>Marcus Pollard will never forget Mike Brown&rsquo;s helmet meeting his jaw. <a href="http://www.bostonherald.com/search/?searchSite=true&amp;keyword=Jabar+Gaffney&amp;mode=score&amp;sorting=pubdate"><strong>Jabar Gaffney</strong></a><font color="#888888"> [<a href="http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=bostonherald&amp;page=nfl/teams/077/playeraaa.aspx?id=2647,team=077">stats</a>]</font> once got knocked 360 degrees off his feet. Matthew Slater took a shot to the sternum that left him wondering if he was going to die. Matt Cassel learned the perils of believing his blind side was protected. Le Kevin Smith could have given up football after his first play.</p>

Will Seau return? nobody knows

Two years ago, Junior Seau didn&rsquo;t join the <a href="http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots.bg"><strong>Patriots</strong></a><font color="#888888"> [<a href="http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=bostonherald&amp;page=nfl/teams/077/team.aspx?id=077">team stats</a>]</font> until Aug. 18. Last year, he signed in May. This year? The lines of communication at least remain open. <p>Patriots coach <a href="http://www.bostonherald.com/search/?searchSite=true&amp;keyword=Bill+Belichick&amp;mode=score&amp;sorting=pubdate"><strong>Bill Belichick</strong></a> yesterday said he and Seau have spoken. Whether that means the future Hall of Famer plans to return for a 19th season remains to be seen, but it&rsquo;s safe to say Seau wouldn&rsquo;t need much camp to get ready for the season.</p> <p>The Patriots are at the roster limit of 80 players and would need to cut someone to make room for Seau, who underwent offseason shoulder surgery.</p>

Calling in a specialist

It hasn't happened yet. Matthew Slater hasn't come out to the field wearing a blue practice jersey (defense) instead of a white practice jersey (offense) or forgotten to put the proper color pinny on when switching sides of the ball during practice.<br /><br />Few could blame the versatile Patriots rookie - who is practicing at wide receiver, safety, and as a return man - if he had a laundry lapse. People watching the 22-year-old Slater switch clothing and positions so freely probably see a young Troy Brown.

Eager to get things running

When the Patriots opened the exhibition schedule last year against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, running back <strong>Laurence Maroney </strong>didn't play. Still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, he missed the first game.<br /><br />&quot;And the second one,&quot; chimed in Maroney.

Woman says ex-Patriot must be punished

The woman at the center of a fight between a Connecticut man and former New England Patriots player Tebucky Jones said yesterday that she hopes the athlete is punished for attacking her and her boyfriend and that his celebrity status does not help him escape justice.<br /><br />The woman at the center of a fight between a Connecticut man and former New England Patriots player Tebucky Jones said yesterday that she hopes the athlete is punished for attacking her and her boyfriend and that his celebrity status does not help him escape justice.

Bill Belichick visit a good sign

The roar that went up among the fans in attendance at training camp yesterday morning was like something out of the regular season. The reason? <p><a href="http://www.bostonherald.com/search/?searchSite=true&amp;keyword=Bill+Belichick&amp;mode=score&amp;sorting=pubdate"><strong>Bill Belichick</strong></a> was signing autographs.</p> <p>Autograph sessions are common during camp, but infrequently does the coach partake. Yesterday was an exception, much to the delight of the fans who chanted the <a href="http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots.bg"><strong>Patriots</strong></a><font color="#888888"> [<a href="http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=bostonherald&amp;page=nfl/teams/077/team.aspx?id=077">team stats</a>]</font> coach&rsquo;s name.</p>

Pats heavy favorites week one

<p> <strong><font size="2"><a class="innerTextLinks" target="" href="http://www.sbrforum.com/statfeed/statfeed.aspx?page=nfl/nflteam&amp;teamid=KANSAS+CITY&amp;season=2006">Kansas City </a><a class="innerTextLinks" target="" href="http://www.sbrforum.com/statfeed/statfeed.aspx?page=nfl/nflteam&amp;teamid=KANSAS+CITY&amp;season=2006">Chiefs</a> at New England Patriots</font> (-15&frac12;)</strong><br /> <a href="http://www.sbrforum.com/statfeed/statfeed.aspx?page=NFL/expanded&amp;date=09/07/2008&amp;rotnum=458"><br /> </a>The Patriots may have been 18-0 heading into the Super Bowl, but they peaked in the middle of the season. New England started 8-0 ATS, four times covering spreads of more than two touchdowns. That&rsquo;s just not normal. As it turned out, the Pats went 2-6 ATS in the second half and dropped the cash in all three of their playoff games. </p> <p> That slowdown hasn&rsquo;t stopped people from pounding New England this year. The Patriots opened as 14.5-point favorites versus the Chiefs and went as high as 16 points before falling back slightly. How much chalk is reasonable for the 2008 Patriots model? It&rsquo;s nearly identical to last year&rsquo;s, so double-digits at home against a team that went 4-12 (7-8-1 ATS) in 2007 is understandable. </p> <p> But let&rsquo;s look again at the Chiefs. Just about everything that could go wrong for Kansas City, did. RB Larry Johnson (4.3 yards per carry in 2007) was a training camp holdout, got off to a slow start, and missed the second half of the season with a foot injury. Blue-chip QB prospect Brodie Croyle couldn&rsquo;t beat Damon Huard for the starting job, then neither man played well behind one of the worst offensive lines in the league. That line is new and improved for 2008, giving Croyle and the Chiefs a chance to stay upright this season. </p>

Veteran RB Jordan hopes for success

Veteran running back Lamont Jordan hopes to follow in the footsteps of his good friend Randy Moss with the New England Patriots. <p class="inside-copy">The 29-year-old Jordan signed with New England on Saturday, one day after the Oakland Raiders released him. He hopes to recharge his career with the Patriots just as Moss did last season, when he caught 98 passes for 1,493 yards and an NFL-record 23 touchdowns.</p> <p class="inside-copy">&quot;It didn't surprise me a bit what he did,&quot; Jordan, a seven-year veteran, said after his second practice with the Patriots on Sunday, the team's fourth day of training camp. &quot;In Oakland, Randy was always playing hurt.&quot;</p> <p class="inside-copy">Jordan said the Patriots expressed interest to his agent almost immediately after he was released. Oakland drafted running back Darren McFadden in the first round and made it clear in the offseason Jordan was no longer welcome.</p>

Ben Coates inducted into Pats HOF

<p>One Hall of Fame down, one to go for Ben Coates.</p> <div id="articleEmbed"> <div id="relatedContent" class="embed"> </div> </div> <p>The Patriots announced yesterday that Coates will be the 13th player to be enshrined in the team's Hall of Fame. The preeminent tight end in team history, Coates won the fan voting at <a href="http://patriots.com/" target="_new">Patriots.com</a> to receive the honor. He was one of three finalists, beating out running back Jim Nance and offensive lineman Jon Morris.</p> <p>Coates and the other 12 honorees will be the first players enshrined in The Hall at Patriot Place, the team's one-of-a-kind, interactive homage to its history that opens in September.</p>

Hall of a new museum

<p><span class="articleBegin">V</span>isitors taking a tour of the construction site for the soon-to-be-finished Hall at Patriot Place can&rsquo;t help but walk away impressed, even though there is nothing inside the structure save for a few murals and one of the Duck Boats used in the victory parade following Super Bowl XXXVI.</p> <p>The building, adjacent to Gillette Stadium, will showcase the history of the <a href="http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots.bg"><strong>Patriots</strong></a><font color="#888888"> [<a href="http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=bostonherald&amp;page=nfl/teams/077/team.aspx?id=077">team stats</a>]</font> and the team&rsquo;s Hall of Fame, and it promises to be a unique sports museum for fans of all ages. The Hall at Patriot Place also is expected to have enough changes and new attractions during the season to make repeated visits worthwhile.</p> <p>Listening to Pats vice president of media relations Stacey James&rsquo; blow-by-blow description of what the Hall is going to offer during a tour last week, it was hard not to envision the finished product and get excited for the grand opening, slated for early September.</p>

Another big score for Moss

Accustomed to making long hauls on the football field, Randy Moss acknowledged he was operating far afield from his chosen area of expertise when it came to owning a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team. <p>But the Patriots wide receiver, despite being new to the sport, said he was prepared to make a long-haul commitment after announcing yesterday at Daytona International Speedway he had purchased a 50 percent stake in David Dollar's Craftsman Truck Series team, Morgan-Dollar Motorsports.</p> <p>Although terms were not disclosed, the team will be renamed Randy Moss Motorsports and will field a yet-to-be-sponsored No. 81 Chevrolet Silverado for driver Willie Allen in the team's debut July 19 at Sparta, Ky.</p>

Welker trying to leave New England Patriots' Super Bowl loss in the past

Wes Welker is glad to talk about giving a helping hand to children in his hometown. He'd rather leave that <a id="EVSPR000004" class="taxInlineTagLink" title="Super Bowl" href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sports/football/super-bowl-EVSPR000004.topic">Super Bowl</a> loss in the past, though.<br /> <br /> The New England receiver returned to his high school Saturday to hold his third annual youth football camp, but was met by rain that kept some participants away and chased the rest into the Heritage Hall gym.<br /> <br /> &quot;Basically we're out here just supporting these kids -- it's at-risk youth -- and trying to encourage them and support them and just show them a good time out here, the basics of football and build a little bit of character,&quot; Welker said.<br /> <br /> Welker tied for the <a id="ORSPT000007" class="taxInlineTagLink" title="National Football League" href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sports/football/national-football-league-ORSPT000007.topic">NFL</a> lead in receptions last season as the <a id="ORSPT000192" class="taxInlineTagLink" title="New England Patriots" href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sports/football/new-england-patriots-ORSPT000192.topic">Patriots</a> completed the first perfect regular season since the schedule was expanded to 16 games. New England then lost to the <a id="ORSPT000197" class="taxInlineTagLink" title="New York Giants" href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sports/football/new-york-giants-ORSPT000197.topic">New York Giants</a> in a 17-14 upset in the Super Bowl.

Bad boys, bad boys: Andrews gone, Harrison still No. 1

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; For the New England Patriots this decade, public perception of the team has morphed from white-hot excited to absolute-zero frigid, from shocking and awing to leaving little more than disdain.<br /> <br /> Perhaps oddest of all about these onetime underdogs cum rabid Old Yellers is the strange doublethink many in the football world have regarding the Patriots themselves. Simultaneously, we&rsquo;re supposed to understand that playing for Bill Belichick&rsquo;s New Englanders (a) is somehow rehabilitative to certain discipline problems and (b) makes you one of the NFL&rsquo;s baddest dudes, willing to do anything to win.

Training camp opens July 24

<p>The Patriots know the date they hope their season will conclude: Feb. 1. That's when Super Bowl XLIII will be played in Tampa. Now they also know the date their Tampa-or-bust campaign will get underway: July 24.</p> <div id="articleEmbed"> <div id="relatedContent" class="embed"> </div> </div> <p>The team announced yesterday it will open training camp at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough July 24. Rookies will report July 21, with veterans due in by July 23.</p> <p>The Patriots play their first exhibition game at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 7 at Gillette against the Baltimore Ravens.</p> <p>The training camp portion of the preseason will last until Aug. 14.</p> Last season, cornerback <strong>Asante Samuel's </strong>contract situation hovere

Moss truck to debut July 19

<p>A source told the Herald in the garage area today at New Hampshire Motor Speedway that the wide receiver&rsquo;s <a href="http://sports.bostonherald.com/autoRacing/"><strong>NASCAR</strong></a> Craftsman Truck Series team, Moss Motorsports, will make its debut July 19 at Kentucky Speedway. The truck will be adorned with No. 81, which is also Moss&rsquo; jersey number for the Pats.</p> <p>Moss will make the official announcement on Thursday at Daytona International Speedway. He is expected to have a prominent Sprint Cup driver race the truck in Sparta, Ky.</p>

It was a good run for Rosie

<p>Unlike the unsuspecting quarterbacks he often blitzed from the blind side and devoured for Sunday lunch, Rosevelt Colvin had an inkling of what was coming after the 2007 season.</p> <div id="articleEmbed"> <div id="relatedContent" class="embed"> </div> </div> <p>He knew his days with the Patriots were possibly numbered. He had a high salary for 2008 ($5.5 million), and an even higher salary cap charge ($7.6 million). He also had a broken bone in the middle of his foot. All told, it wasn't a good combination when you're 30 years old and entering the final year of a contract.</p> <p>So no, Colvin wasn't caught off guard when Bill Belichick summoned him for a chat at Gillette Stadium on the eve of free agency in late February, and told him the words players often dread hearing: &quot;We're going in a different direction.&quot;</p>

Patriots position analysis: Linebackers

<p><span class="articleBegin">W</span>ith training camp just a month away, we continue our weekly position-by-position look at the <a href="http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots.bg"><strong>Patriots</strong></a><font color="#888888"> [<a href="http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=bostonherald&amp;page=nfl/teams/077/team.aspx?id=077">team stats</a>]</font> with the linebacking corps, which got younger for basically the first time since <a href="http://www.bostonherald.com/search/?searchSite=true&amp;keyword=Bill+Belichick&amp;mode=score&amp;sorting=pubdate"><strong>Bill Belichick</strong></a> became head coach in 2000. How quickly the newcomers pick things up will go a long way toward defining the Pats defense:</p> <p><strong>PROJECTED STARTERS</strong>:</p> <p>ILB -- <a href="http://news.bostonherald.com/search/?keyword=Tedy+Bruschi&amp;searchSite=recent"><strong>Tedy Bruschi</strong></a><font color="#888888"> [<a href="http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&amp;page=nfl/teams/077/playeraaa.aspx?id=701,team=077">stats</a>]</font>, 13th season</p> <p>ILB -- Jerod Mayo, rookie</p> <p>OLB -- Mike Vrabel, 12th season</p> <p>OLB -- Adalius Thomas, 9th season</p>

Watson to All-Scholastics: enjoy ride

Recognizing athletes from throughout the region, The Boston Globe yesterday honored its All-Scholastics, scholar-athlete award winners, and NEPSAC players of the year at the annual All-Scholastic awards ceremony at the Quincy Marriott. <div id="articleEmbed"> <div id="relatedContent" class="embed"> </div> </div> <p>The ceremony included speeches from Williams College football standout Brian Morrissey, Northwestern lacrosse star Meredith Frank, and New England Patriots tight end Ben Watson.</p> <p>Watson, the keynote speaker, talked about the importance of academics, humility, leadership, and teamwork.</p> <p>&quot;There are so many parallels between sports and life,&quot; said Watson, who played high school football in South Carolina and was a member of the National Honor Society.</p>

Bills individual tickets left only for Patriots

<p>The Buffalo Bills have sold out individual-game tickets to six of their seven games in Orchard Park, the team announced today. The only game for which tickets still are available to fans who are not season ticket holders is the regular-season finale against the New England Patriots on Dec. 28.</p> <p> The Bills have sold out their individual seats for the game against the San Franciscio 49ers on Nov. 30. Previously, the team announced that individual-game tickets were gone for the games agianst Seattle, Oakland, San Diego, the New York Jets and Cleveland.</p>

Texans sign ex-Pat Colvin

<p>The Texans went through most of the offseason failing to address one major area. On Monday, they solved that by signing outside linebacker Rosevelt Colvin to be their new situational pass rusher.</p> <p>Colvin, 30, is a 10-year NFL veteran with 52 1/2 sacks on his r&eacute;sum&eacute;. He will join the Texans as a complement to defensive end Mario Williams, and hopefully help bolster a team that ranked 24th in the NFL in total defense last season.</p> <p>&quot;I feel like we were successful in our efforts during the offseason to address all of the areas we felt we needed to address with the exception of a situational pass rusher,&quot; Texans general manager Rick Smith said. &quot;I think this deal obviously does that, and I think it does it in a big way. I expect Rosevelt is really going to be able to contribute significantly to our team on defense. He can get after the passer. He's proven that throughout his career, and I think he will continue to do that.&quot;</p>

Specter: No hearings on Patriots

<p>While criticizing the NFL's investigation of the Patriots' videotaping procedures, Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) had refrained from asking his colleagues to become involved, but he still left open the possibility of future congressional hearings.</p> <p>Yet in a meeting with the Philadelphia Daily News editorial board Monday, Specter indicated hearings are no longer an option.</p> <p>&quot;I'm not going to call for hearings, because the mood is not right and we've got too many other bigger problems to deal with,&quot; Specter told the editorial board, according to a transcript provided by Specter's press office.</p> <p>Specter, who in May had called on the NFL to conduct an independent investigation of the Patriots' videotaping procedures, was unavailable to elaborate on those remarks yesterday.</p>

No promises, but Hobbs cites progress

Patriots cornerback <strong>Ellis Hobbs</strong>, recovering from February left shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum and March surgery on a sports hernia, stopped short of saying yesterday that he would be on the field for the start of training camp in late July, but indicated that there have been no setbacks. <div id="articleEmbed"> <div id="relatedContent" class="embed"> <div id="informBox" class="relatedBox" style="display: block;"><br /></div> </div> </div> <p>&quot;I know each day it's getting better,&quot; Hobbs said at the Patriots' charity golf tournament at The International. &quot;Physically, I feel a lot better now than I did at the end of the season.&quot;</p> <p>The Patriots generally avoid setting timetables for those returning from injury, or at least letting them be known publicly. Along those lines, Hobbs, who didn't participate in on-field work at spring mini-camps and did not play golf yesterday, wasn't willing to project when he'll return to the field, saying only, &quot;As long as I continue to string days along where I have the confidence to go out there and perform at a high level, then I'll get out there.&quot;</p>

One way to turn the page

<p>When asked recently what he'd say to someone seeking his autograph on a picture of him attempting to defend <strong>David Tyree's </strong>remarkable on-the-helmet catch that set up the winning touchdown in Super Bowl XLII, <strong>Rodney Harrison </strong>didn't hesitate.</p> <p>&quot;You have to pay me,&quot; the Patriots safety said with a laugh.</p> <p>But Harrison is actually putting his name on something directly related to the catch, free of charge.</p> <p>Tyree has penned a book titled &quot;More Than Just a Catch,&quot; due out in September, and it includes an introduction by Harrison.</p>

Patriots position analysis: Offensive Line

<p><span class="articleBegin">T</span>his is the fifth in our look at potential position battles, with training camp now about six weeks away. Last week we looked at tight ends. Today we shift to the offensive line.</p> <p>STARTERS: LT &mdash; <a href="http://news.bostonherald.com/search/?keyword=Matt+Light&amp;searchSite=recent"><strong>Matt Light</strong></a><font color="#888888"> [<a href="http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=bostonherald&amp;page=nfl/teams/077/playeraaa.aspx?id=710,team=077">stats</a>]</font>, 8th year</p> <p>LG &mdash; <a href="http://news.bostonherald.com/search/?keyword=Logan+Mankins&amp;searchSite=recent"><strong>Logan Mankins</strong></a><font color="#888888"> [<a href="http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=bostonherald&amp;page=nfl/teams/077/playeraaa.aspx?id=5019,team=077">stats</a>]</font>, 4th year</p> <p>C &mdash; Dan Koppen, 6th year</p> <p>RG &mdash; Stephen Neal, 7th year</p> <p>RT &mdash; Nick Kaczur, 4th year</p>

Possibilities may be limitless

NFL owners and NFL Players Association executive Gene Upshaw had the same message last week. Despite those labor clouds looming over the league, it's still a problem that is three years away.<br /><br /> <p>So, fellow football fans, there is no need to start exploring other options to fill those Sundays, or to wonder whether that DirecTV &quot;Sunday Ticket&quot; package will turn into another ESPN Classic, airing epic contests from seasons past.</p> <p>For some, the three-more-years-of-football message is just right. Labor issues often make less than compelling reading, and are complicated, too, and it's understandable to simply say, &quot;Tell me when I really need to worry, and then I'll pay attention.&quot;</p>

Victor Hobson’s perspective from all sides

For the <a href="http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots.bg"><strong>Patriots</strong></a><font color="#888888"> [<a href="http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=bostonherald&amp;page=nfl/teams/077/team.aspx?id=077">team stats</a>]</font>, one of the primary offseason objectives via the draft and free agency was to get younger at linebacker, as well as add some quality depth at the position. <p>To that end, the club added three linebackers on draft weekend (Jerod Mayo, Shawn Crable, Bo Ruud), while earlier signing free agent Victor Hobson, who also figures to be an important piece to the puzzle.</p> <p>On paper, the latter fits all the needs in one package.</p>

No coincidence Pats can't solve Broncos

<span id="redesign_default"> <p>Guarantee you that no one in the Denver media is surprised the New England Patriots have done a poor job of cracking the Broncos' signals. </p> <p>Is it possible for a team to guard its practices and game plans more than Mike Shanahan's Broncos? This organization may have laid off eight front-office and stadium employees two months ago, but those strong men with dark sunglasses and crossed arms continue to peer beyond the stone wall that surrounds the Dove Valley practice fields. </p> <p>In the latest revelation of Spygate, evidence is overwhelming the Patriots had been illegally videotaping opposing coaches' signals from the 2000 season until the first game of 2007, when the New York Jets finally snitched. </p> <p>Many teams were identified as victims, but not the Broncos. The Pats are 1-5 against the Broncos since the start of the 2001 season. </p> <p>The Broncos' secretive nature, and their success against the Pats, can't be a coincidence. </p> <p>Don't ask Broncos tight end Daniel Graham about the Pats' past practices. The future is fine, but Graham did not come to Dove Valley to talk about the past. </p> </span>

Spygate a scandal? Yawner is more like it

<span id="redesign_default"> <p>Now that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has decreed that Spygate is yesterday's news, you figure there's a chance we can get on with our lives? </p> <p>I never got Spygate. Oh, I could see the controversy, but having witnessed scouts for years checking out coaches' signals with binoculars, I never got how it came to be viewed by some as a scandal for the ages. </p> <p>The truth is, it wasn't. </p> <p>In the end, it was all about who cheated, not to what lengths he went to cheat. It was all about putting it to the NFL's most unpopular coach and the league's most despised team. </p> <p>In the end, it was about jealousy. Not all about jealousy maybe, but mostly about it. </p> </span>

Chad Jackson hoping to catch on

With Donte&rsquo; Stallworth gone, there&rsquo;s a spot to fill in the wide receiver rotation. The profile calls for someone to provide a complementary outside threat to Randy Moss. <p>The question is, will that someone be <a href="http://www.bostonherald.com/search/?searchSite=true&amp;keyword=Chad+Jackson&amp;mode=score&amp;sorting=pubdate"><strong>Chad Jackson</strong></a>?</p> <p>After two injury-plagued seasons, the third-year receiver knows it&rsquo;s his time to finally seize the moment.</p>

Pats throw CB hopefuls right into mix

<p><span class="articleBegin">P</span>assing camp began yesterday in Foxboro. All of the new cornerbacks brought in during the offseason by the <a href="http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots.bg"><strong>Patriots</strong></a><font color="#888888"> [<a href="http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=bostonherald&amp;page=nfl/teams/077/team.aspx?id=077">team stats</a>]</font>, either via free agency or the draft, took turns defending against the NFL&rsquo;s top offense run by its best quarterback.</p> <p>In other words, all the potential <a href="http://www.bostonherald.com/search/?topic=Asante+Samuel"><strong>Asante Samuel</strong></a><font color="#888888"> [<a href="http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=bostonherald&amp;page=nfl/teams/077/playeraaa.aspx?id=3644,team=077">stats</a>]</font> replacements got their first crack at trying to stymie <a href="http://www.bostonherald.com/search/?searchSite=true&amp;keyword=Tom+Brady&amp;mode=score&amp;sorting=pubdate"><strong>Tom Brady</strong></a><font color="#888888"> [<a href="http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=bostonherald&amp;page=nfl/teams/077/playeraaa.aspx?id=678,team=077">stats</a>]</font>, as well as defend Randy Moss, Wes Welker, <a href="http://www.bostonherald.com/search/?searchSite=true&amp;keyword=Jabar+Gaffney&amp;mode=score&amp;sorting=pubdate"><strong>Jabar Gaffney</strong></a><font color="#888888"> [<a href="http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=bostonherald&amp;page=nfl/teams/077/playeraaa.aspx?id=2647,team=077">stats</a>]</font> et al.</p> <p>From veteran free agent signees Fernando Bryant, Jason Webster and Lewis Sanders to rookies Terrence Wheatley and Jonathan Wilhite, this is part of the learning process - and part of making a good first impression.</p>

Spygate stains Pats’ legacy

By now, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has received the eight videotapes handed over by former New England Patriots employee Matt Walsh. Goodell and his staff have examined the footage of the games in which five opponents’ defensive signals — and one team’s offensive signals — were filmed from 2000 through 2002. One of the teams under surveillance was the Buffalo Bills in November 2001. The Bills deferred comment to the NFL. Goodell meets with Walsh today. At that time, Goodell will tell the world if the tapes are more damning than the evidence he previously had. And then he’ll probably say, “Case closed.”

Kevin Jones visits

The Patriots visited with free-agent running back Kevin Jones last week at Gillette Stadium, a league source confirmed. The speedy Jones, a first-round draft choice of the Lions in 2004, is recovering from a torn ACL. The Patriots had been high on Jones when he was coming out of Virginia Tech, and were prepared to scoop him up with the No. 32 overall selection in that draft, but the Lions swooped in with a trade and picked him at No. 31. The Patriots are well stocked at running back, with Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk, Heath Evans and Kyle Eckel atop the depth chart.

Tale of the Tape, revisited

On Tuesday, former Patriots employee Matt Walsh is scheduled to meet with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to discuss what he knows about the team's videotaping procedures. Walsh has already provided all materials he had in his possession - eight tapes from six games in the 2000-02 seasons - yet it was noteworthy that there was no tape of the Rams' walkthrough practice prior to Super Bowl XXXVI. So how has this story, and Walsh's involvement, reached this point? Looking back at the decision-making of the key parties, it seems everyone had their hand in keeping it alive.

Call to the Hall

With the Hall at Patriot Place set to open in the fall, the Patriots [team stats] recently announced this year’s crop of Hall of Fame finalists. There are currently 12 players in the Hall, and one of the three 2008 nominees — Ben Coates, Jon Morris and Jim Nance — will join them this summer following fan voting on Patriots.com. A look at the three candidiates: BEN COATES POSITION: Tight end Click here to find out more! YEARS WITH PATS: 1991-99 PRO BOWLS: 5 HIGHLIGHTS: His 50 touchdowns rank second in team history; his 490 receptions rank third; and his 5,471 receiving yards place fourth.

Goodell ready with a broom

Former Patriots videographer Matt Walsh has turned over more ''Spygate'' evidence to the NFL and is to meet on Tuesday with commissioner Roger Goodell. Eight new tapes show illegal spying on opponents' signals in six games between 2000-02, three of the games involving the Dolphins. That is beyond the 2007 incident that cost the Pats a first-round draft pick and coach Bill Belicheat a substantial fine. Despite the new evidence, it is widely believed Goodell will theatrically carry a large pushbroom into the meeting with Walsh in order to more efficiently sweep the scandal under the rug.

Ka-ching! Patriots score runner-up bling

Word from Foxboro is that the New England Patriots were fitted for their rings last week. No, that would not be Super Bowl XLII rings. Eli Manning & Co. are sporting those. The Pats will be getting the smaller, less bling-encrusted AFC Championship rings in honor of their nearly undefeated season. “Winning the AFC championship is still an honor that is recognized by a championship ring,” said team spokesguy Stacey James.

Cheers for the Patriots cheerleaders swimsuit photos

The New England Patriots Cheerleaders are at the Paradisus Punta Cana Resort in the Dominican Republic for their 2009 Swimsuit Calendar photo shoot. The group had a luau on the beach the other night, where they were joined by a group of lucky fans who are accompanying them on the trip as part of the TNT Vacations ‘Celebrity Come Along’ program. The fans at the resort also get a sneek peak at photos taken for the 24-month calendar, which will go on sale in August.

Working Man

boston.com - To play inside linebacker in the Patriots' 3-4 defense you have to be willing to get your hands dirty, fending off blocks and sifting through the trash, as they say in pigskin parlance. more stories like this That's nothing new for first-round draft pick Jerod Mayo. The Hampton native, who was taken with the 10th overall pick last Saturday, has been doing dirty work, at the behest of his grandfather, since he was 7 years old. A retired Air Force chief master sergeant, Walter Johnson renovates rental homes for profit, and when he needed help with a fixer-upper, he didn't have to look far for a maintenance crew. He had one in his grandsons, Shermont, Jerod, Deron, and Derek Mayo. If there was a wall to be painted, a lawn to be cut, a driveway to be dug up, a shed to be cleared out, the Mayo brothers were the men for the job, even if they weren't men yet.

Pats release Mixon, Slaughter

bostonherald.com - The New England Patriots have released cornerback Tim Mixon and linebacker T.J. Slaughter. The 30-year-old Slaughter was signed by the Patriots as a free agent on Feb. 12. He spent the 2007 season out of football. Before then, the 6-foot-1-inch, 233-pound linebacker played in 78 games with 32 starts for six teams since the Jacksonville Jaguars selected him in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft.

Experts size up AFC East teams’ drafts

bostonherald.com - The New York Jets, Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins didn’t put up much of a fight last season in terms of battling the Patriots [team stats] for the AFC East crown. With the 2008 NFL draft concluded, a few experts weighed in on the challengers and assessed how well they did, on paper at least, in terms of closing the gap in the division. But before getting to the opponents, the experts provided a quick word on how well the Pats did in the selection process. Charley Casserly, a former general manager in the league who now works with the NFL Network, believes the Pats scored especially well with their selection of Tennessee linebacker Jerod Mayo

Kraft buys into "insurance" business

boston.com - When the Patriots drafted San Diego State quarterback Kevin O'Connell at the end of the third round last weekend, some eyebrows were raised. more stories like this Just three years ago, the Patriots found starting-caliber players in the third round in cornerback Ellis Hobbs (84th overall) and offensive tackle Nick Kaczur (100th), so why would a team with Tom Brady pluck a signal-caller with the 94th overall selection? Owner Robert Kraft explained the thinking yesterday.

Landing a rising son in draft with Shawn Crable

bostonherald.com - As soon as the call came yesterday, Ella Kirkland ran out to the shopping mall in Massillon, Ohio, to do what most proud mothers do after their sons get drafted. In her case, she was rummaging through every sports store she could find, trying to come up with Patriots apparel. She was hoping to find something she could wear to work today to show off the news to customers at the dry cleaning store she manages. The best she could come up with was a Pats baseball cap. No matter.

Pats quick on their feet

boston.com - The words have been spoken so many times in recent years they have become the slogan for Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli on the annual NFL draft campaign trail. Younger and faster. The Belichick/Pioli ticket is in its ninth year running the Patriots' football operation, and when it comes to defense, younger and faster has been one of the top items on the agenda. Yet for a variety of factors, the call seemed to go unanswered, or mostly unfulfilled, in recent years.

QB O’Connell could push Cassel out

projo.com - Technically, Matt Cassel has one year left on his rookie contract, but his days with the New England Patriots could be numbered. With their second pick in the third round yesterday (94th overall), the Patriots selected San Diego State quarterback Kevin O’Connell; it was the highest the team has selected a signal-caller since taking Drew Bledsoe first overall in 1994.

Blockers might be on Pats' board

bostonherald.com - The old credo that you’re only as good as your last game is particularly unfortunate for members of the Patriots offensive line. Considered one of the best groups in the league all season, with three Pro Bowlers and a starting All-Pro left tackle in Matt Light, the Pats had their helmets handed to them in Super Bowl XLII by the Giants. Left guard Logan Mankins, a stalwart all season, picked a lousy time to have his toughest game of the season, getting eaten up by Justin Tuck, while the tackles and tight ends struggled with Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora. When all was said and done, guard and tackle suddenly looked like potential draft needs, adding a layer of intrigue to what the Patriots might do with the seventh overall pick in Saturday’s draft.

Lombardi on Belichick

boston.com - Former NFL personnel executive Mike Lombardi writes on Bill Belichick for SI.com today, touching on Belichick's preparation in all-things football while predicting how he will approach the draft. Lombardi, who worked in Cleveland when Belichick was head coach, also reflects on how Belichick tapped into the knowledge of NBA executive Jerry West when the NFL was instituting a salary cap. Along those lines, Lombardi writes: "This season, the unique challenge for Belichick will be maintaining order in his salary cap, something most head coaches never care much about. The Patriots have the No. 7 pick, and because of the amount of guaranteed money required to sign that particular player, this could greatly affect his team's salary structure. He will care about Tom Brady and the impact the signing would have on Brady's mind. And as we see from reading the comments of many unhappy veterans this year, how teams allocate cap dollars directly affects the locker room."

LSU' Dorsey is a fragile situation

boston.com - NFL teams seeking a potentially dominant defensive lineman atop this year's draft know it all comes down to the three Ds. more stories like this Dorsey. Doctors. Durability. Based on pure talent, production, and intangibles, Louisiana State's Glenn Dorsey is widely considered a slam-dunk choice, certainly worthy of being the No. 1 overall pick. Yet as is often the case, it isn't that simple.

Walsh talks may be near

bostonherald.com - It has been more than two months since the name Matt Walsh entered the local sports lexicon, and we may finally be close to knowing what light, if any, he can shed on the Patriots’ videotaping practices. Speaking at the SMU athletic forum luncheon in Texas on Wednesday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell expressed hope that a deal allowing the former Patriots video assistant to talk will be struck soon. “I have never met Matt but I’m hoping to meet him some time in the near future,” Goodell told those in attendance in comments relayed by the Dallas Morning News. “He’s indicated he has evidence and new information that would lead to further disciplinary action. I’m anxious to meet with him. I hope that’ll happen some time in the next couple weeks.”

Value, not need, drives draft plans

bostonherald.com - Not since Bill Belichick’s second season in New England have the Patriots drafted as high as seventh, which is where they’ll be if they don’t make a trade between now and April 26. Back in 2001, the sixth pick brought them defensive end Richard Seymour, and everyone knows how that turned out. Panned at the time for passing up Michigan wide receiver David Terrell, the Pats got the last laugh when Seymour became a perennial All-Pro and one of the linchpins of their three Super Bowl titles. As this draft rolls around, the natural area of concern is cornerback, where the Pats lost Pro Bowler Asante Samuel and solid backup Randall Gay during free agency.

Meriweather ready for a bigger role

boston.com - As the Patriots prepare for the NFL draft (April 26-27), last year's first-round pick, defensive back Brandon Meriweather, is preparing for an increased role in 2008. more stories like this The question is, where? Cornerback or safety? The 24-year-old Meriweather, who was selected 24th, had an up-and-down rookie campaign, bouncing between cornerback and safety. He began training camp playing cornerback, both outside and in the slot, when Asante Samuel was holding out. He overtook Eugene Wilson late in the season as the third safety in the dime package (six defensive backs) and ended the season by making his first start, as a nickelback in Super Bowl XLII.

Travel plans in the works

boston.com - Coach Bill Belichick said yesterday the Patriots are considering remaining on the West Coast when the team has back-to-back games in the Pacific time zone. more stories like this The Patriots visit the San Francisco 49ers Oct. 5, then play the San Diego Chargers Oct. 12. Later in the season, the team travels to Seattle Dec. 7, then heads south for Randy Moss's return to Oakland Dec. 14.

New England gets patsies galore

sun-sentinel.com - Here come the "ease of schedule" mavens with their calculators to let you know that the New England Patriots' opponents for 2008 won only 37.2 percent of their games. That's true enough, but there are much better ways of detailing the startlingly cozy schedule the Pats face this season. The difficulty with adding up the wins and losses of your opponents and dividing by 266 (total games for 16 opponents) is that two games against the 1-15 Dolphins immediately skews the works. A win is a win and it doesn't matter whether it's against a 1-15 or 7-9 team. The more salient facts are that New England will play 11 games against teams that failed to win as many as eight games in 2007 and only four games against teams that made the playoffs (San Diego, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh and Seattle).

Did Koppen marry a cheerleader??

bostonherald.com - That New England Patriots center Dan Koppen and his honey, ex-Pats cheerleader Amber van Eeghen tied the knot in Cranston, R.I., over the weekend. Word is, Dan’s bud Tom Brady [stats] and his glam galpal Gisele Bundchen were there for the “I dos.” Amber, who is the subject of the Blues Traveler tune “Amber Awaits,” is the daughter of retired NFL great Mark Van Eeghen. Mazel tov!

Easy Street

bostonherald.com - The Patriots are coming off the most dominant regular season in history. So naturally they have the easiest schedule in the NFL. Such are the vagaries of the NFL’s scheduling system, which largely pits divisions against each other and can lead to strange anomalies like the worst-in-football Oakland Raiders having the league’s toughest schedule last year and the second-best Patriots getting the easiest one this year.

Patriots heading west

boston.com - The good news for the Patriots is that they won't be opening their season overseas, like the Red Sox - they get to do it at home against the Kansas City Chiefs Sept. 7 at 1 p.m. The bad news is that with all the frequent-flier miles they'll rack up for games against West Coast opponents, they might as well be flying to Japan and back. The NFL released its 2008 schedule yesterday, and the Patriots are again a prime-time staple, with five scheduled night games. But Bill Belichick's guys, who enter the season riding an NFL-record 19-game regular-season win streak, will have to be bicoastal if they want to go 16-0 again. The Patriots have a pair of back-to-back trips to the Left Coast, as they play four games in the Pacific Time Zone for the first time since 1986.

Pats set sights on draft

projo.com - For some of their NFL rivals, the notion that the New England Patriots — they of the league’s first 16-0 regular season and reigning league MVP — have the number-seven pick in this year’s draft must be akin to seeing Bill Gates win Powerball. A team that talented gets to add one of the top players from such a deep draft? Thank the San Francisco 49ers.

Four NFL coaches look back on flops against Giants in playoffs

nydailynews.com - Jon Gruden, Wade Phillips and Mike McCarthy were sitting at different tables within a few feet of Tom Coughlin at the NFC coaches breakfast at the recent league meetings in Palm Beach, Fla. If they passed Bill Belichick in the hallways, they could commiserate about how they were all unable to stop the Giants' incredible Super Bowl run. The Giants won their four postseason games by a total of 20 points. It was evident that the sting of losing had not subsided two months later, even if Belichick said, "We've moved on. Everybody is in the '08 season now, including us."

CB history won’t dictate Pats’ pick

bostonherald.com - There’s a perception that cornerbacks aren’t worth taking in the top 10 of the NFL draft because their bust rate is too high. The idea sounds good but reality doesn’t support the contention. Since 1998, 11 corners have been selected in the top 10. Five of them went on to become Pro Bowlers, another five became solid starters, and only one (Duane Starks) ultimately was a bust. This is relevant to the Patriots because they own the seventh pick in the upcoming draft and have a glaring need at the position following the free agent losses of Asante Samuel and Randall Gay.

Faulk takes the blame

bostonherald.com - In between pitching his upcoming celebrity softball game yesterday, Patriots running back Kevin Faulk also delivered a message about being cited for marijuana possession at a rap concert in Louisiana in February. Faulk was not arrested after being found with four hand-rolled cigars filled with marijuana in the coat he was wearing. “I take full responsibility for what I had on me, for what happened,” Faulk said last night. “But at the same time, with regard to some of the things that were said, there were stories that I got arrested, that I got caught smoking. I know what happened. I don’t have to tell anyone that. When the media calls asking questions and looking for a comment, I was always taught actions speak louder than words. So I didn’t want to talk about it. I wanted to react to it. So I took a drug test, and that was it for me.

Kraft gets, gives thanks

bostonherald.com - There were some owners and coaches who were still coming up to Robert Kraft yesterday to shake his hand and offer words of appreciation for the apology he delivered to the NFL fraternity Tuesday morning. The Patriots owner’s show of remorse over the Camera-gate affair was received incredibly well, along with coach Bill Belichick’s explanation of how he misinterpreted the NFL’s rule on videotaping. Judging by the talk around the lobbies at The Breakers, what will be remembered most from the four-day NFL meetings won’t be the rules that were passed or shot down. It will be the Patriots and their efforts to put the videotaping controversy in the rearview mirror.

Pressure raised on Ex-Pats employee

nytimes.com - N.F.L. Commissioner Roger Goodell struck an aggressive tone about Matt Walsh, a former Patriots video assistant, saying Wednesday that at some point he will run out of patience waiting for a resolution to negotiations aimed at persuading Walsh to reveal what he knows about New England’s videotaping practices. When Goodell, at his final news conference of the annual league meetings, was asked if he would consider legal action to force Walsh to talk if negotiations failed, he said: “I would not take anything off the table. We feel the best way to do this is to try to address the concerns he has. I’m still optimistic we’ll get an agreement.”

Pats' owner defends team

nytimes.com - Robert K. Kraft, the chairman of the New England Patriots, strongly — sometimes angrily — defended his team Monday, saying he was eager for the N.F.L. to talk to a former Patriots employee who has intimated that he has evidence of the team’s videotaping practices. Lawyers for the N.F.L. and the former employee, Matt Walsh, have so far failed to reach an agreement that would open the door for Walsh to reveal to the league what he knows. Walsh maintains that he signed a confidentiality agreement with the Patriots — the team says there is none — and he has asked for protection from future lawsuits or damages.

Brady's ankle feeling fine

bostonherald.com - The Patriots have received a double dose of good news on the injury front, starting with quarterback Tom Brady. Hobbled in the Super Bowl by a high ankle sprain, Brady checked out fine recently and hasn’t had any troubles with the bothersome right ankle, according to a league source. He won’t be restricted for the offseason workout program or minicamps. Though Brady’s ankle did not make the injury report prior to Super Bowl XLII, he didn’t look like himself for most of the game, and his personal quarterbacks coach, Tom Martinez, told the New York Daily News shortly after the game that Brady’s mobility appeared limited.

Pats bring McFadden in for a talk

boston.com - The Patriots have considerable talent and depth at running back, yet that isn't stopping team officials from flying Darren McFadden up to Foxborough for a visit. NFL teams are allowed to host up to 30 out-of-town prospects before the draft, and the Patriots' visit with the Arkansas back - scheduled for April 10-11 - should generate buzz relating to New England having the seventh overall draft choice. Is there genuine interest in McFadden? Might it be a smoke screen? Or is it just due diligence as part of the scouting process?

Pre-Paid parking pass?

bostonherald.com - The New England Patriots are studying some changes to their lineup this offseason - the parking lineup that is. The team’s front office is reviewing thousands of questionnaires sent to season-ticket holders aimed at gauging interest in a prepaid parking pass that would cover the entire season, said Stacey James, director of communications for the Pats. Still, no decision has been made on whether to issue such passes, or even whether such a move would come this season, James said. Any change would involve careful consideration, he said. And team executives would work with a traffic consultant to sort out the issue.

Star Trek

bostonherald.com - Running down the list of trips he’s taken the past four years, one could say Benjamin Watson [stats]’s travels have been somewhat out of the ordinary. So, too, are the experiences he has endured along the way. Many of the journeys for the Patriots [team stats] tight end have been eye-opening and life-changing. Others have renewed his faith and spirituality. Last year, one of Watson’s trips was to the Middle East, where he visited troops in Iraq, and got a first-hand look at life in a war zone as part of the league’s USO program.

Belichick under scope at NFL meetings

nydailynews.com - So many people will be looking at Patriots coach and former genius Bill Belichick this week that he may feel like they are spying on him, of all the crazy things. I'm surprised Belichick will be at the NFL meetings, which open Sunday in Palm Beach, Fla., considering the SpyGate scandal just won't go away and so much of the discussion this week — in front of Belichick — is going to focus on it. Roger Goodell has come up with some new policies for the owners to discuss to crack down on cheating. At least give Belichick credit for showing up for what is going to be an uncomfortable four days for him among the coaches, general managers and owners, some of whom have been critical of him.

Lawsuit dropped against Pasriots

boston.com - A lawsuit filed for more than $100 million against the Patriots, owner Robert Kraft, and coach Bill Belichick on behalf of a member of the 2001 St. Louis Rams team that lost to the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI and three fans was withdrawn yesterday. The lawsuit, which was filed Feb. 15 in US District Court, East District of Louisiana, alleged that the Patriots defrauded former Rams player Willie Gary, two fans who attended the Super Bowl, and a Rams season ticket-holder by taping the Rams' walkthrough prior to the Super Bowl. Last September, the Patriots were fined $250,000, Belichick was docked $500,000, and the team was stripped of a first-round draft pick after being caught videotaping the defensive signals of the New York Jets Sept. 9. On Feb. 2, the Boston Herald, citing an anonymous source, reported that the Patriots taped the Rams' Super Bowl walkthrough. Both the NFL and the Patriots have denied the taping of the walkthrough.

No Spygate Deal Yet

nypost.com -Despite recent reports that indicated the NFL is closing in on a deal to speak with Matt Walsh, the former Patriots video assistant who allegedly has proof of the Patriots illegally spying, a league spokesperson yesterday said that isn't the case. There have been reports stating that an indemnity agreement between the NFL and Walsh's attorney, Michael Levy, who's seeking protection for his client from any lawsuits, was imminent, thus bringing Walsh forward to speak about what he has in his possession in the way of proof of Patriots' spy games. However, NFL spokesperson Greg Aiello yesterday told ESPN.com, "I'm not getting that sense."

It's Patriotic to want the truth

denverpost.com - how big is the football scandal hiding under the famous hoodie of New England coach Bill Belichick? Cheaters never prosper. But NFL commissioner Roger Goodell better pray Belichick doesn't bring the whole league down in the muck of disrepute. We need to know the whole truth about the extent of cheating by the Patriots, the league's model franchise, a three-time winner of the Super Bowl this decade and busted once already in the past year for spying on a rival team.

Pats add a Tank for some safety

bostonherald.com - Little by little, the Patriots are patching the holes on defense. Yesterday, they added more depth to the secondary by signing former Minnesota Vikings safety Tank Williams. The St. Paul Pioneer Press was the first to report the move, as Williams and the Pats agreed to a one-year deal. It’s the second signing in as many days to shore up the defensive backfield. On Tuesday, the Pats inked cornerback Jason Webster to a one-year deal.

Seward to visit New England

charlotte.com - he New England Patriots are interested in Carolina restricted free-agent linebacker Adam Seward, and another veteran free agent's interest in signing with the Panthers waned Wednesday. Seward is to visit with the Patriots today. They can sign him to an offer sheet, but Carolina has the right to match. If the Panthers don't match, New England would owe Carolina a fifth-round pick as compensation. Seward (6-foot-2, 248 pounds) might be a better fit as an inside linebacker in the Patriots' 3-4 defense than he is in the Panthers' 4-3 alignment. He's been used primarily as a backup and on special teams by Carolina.

Moss shuns late grab

bostonherald.com - The Eagles made a valiant 11th-hour push to try to lure Randy Moss away from the Patriots. There also were a few other teams involved, trying to convince the receiver to give them a shot. Moss listened, but in the end, no matter how impressively Eagles coach Andy Reid made his pitch or how much money the Eagles piled on, it didn’t matter. According to Tim DiPiero, who represents Moss, there was no real bidding war. The game’s single-season record-holder for touchdown receptions wasn’t trying to pit the Patriots against anyone else.

Law on their side again?

boston.com - Not long after the plane had touched down in Kansas City two years ago, Ty Law's phone rang and a familiar voice was on the other end. It was Bill Belichick. Law was en route to Chiefs headquarters to sign a five-year, $30 million contract that he felt reflected his value as a top free agent cornerback. The Patriots coach wanted to know if it was too late for him to consider a return to New England. "I was so close to just walking and turning around, but at that point, I just felt I couldn't turn back," Law said. "I had just gotten off the plane, so what was I going to say to them in Kansas City? I had given them my word."

Intangibles succeed

boston.com - There was silence as Randy Moss's agent pondered the question for a moment. Was there ever any doubt that Moss would wind up back with the Patriots? Tim DiPiero's answer, or in this case non-answer, spoke volumes about whether the three-year, $27 million contract that Moss signed Monday was a slam dunk. "No comment," he said politely. But DiPiero feels confident that both sides are happy with the final result. Yesterday, he detailed parts of the negotiations with the Patriots. "During the season, and after the final game, Randy made comments that he hoped he could get back to the Patriots, and it was clear from our discussions that was his priority," DiPiero said. "When the deal didn't get done in the first and second day, I think teams started to wonder if it was inevitable like everybody thought it was. We started getting some attention.

Eagles knew they had slim chance with Moss

philly.com - On Day 2 of the story of how the Eagles felt they almost acquired Randy Moss, the whole business got even more puzzling. (Only in Philadelphia would there be a Day 2 for a story about how a team didn't acquire a player, but there you are.) Eagles coach Andy Reid and team president Joe Banner spoke of how the team at various points Monday felt it might be about to sign the All-Pro wideout, before he elected to stay with the Patriots for $27 million over 3 years. But both men also emphasized how unlikely they felt it was that Moss would leave the team that finally got him to the Super Bowl, and has an excellent chance of returning. "Randy made it very clear from the get-go he wanted to be a New England Patriot," Reid said. "My hat's off to him" for staying "where his career has really blossomed."

Pats resign Gaffney

projo.com - The New England Patriots continued to add players yesterday, signing one familiar face and one not-so-familiar. Last night, the Pats came to terms with wide receiver Jabar Gaffney on a one-year contract. Earlier in the day, New England announced that it signed cornerback Jason Webster. Gaffney, signed by the Patriots in October 2006 to help a then-thin receiving corps, has filled a couple of roles with New England. He became Tom Brady’s go-to guy in the playoffs, with 21 catches for 244 yards and two touchdowns. Eighteen of those receptions came in the Pats’ first two playoff games.

Moss sticks with Pats

bostonherald.com - In the final analysis, it was a marriage that made no sense ending in divorce. The Patriots knew it. So did Randy Moss, who turned down a more lucrative offer from the Philadelphia Eagles. That’s why after an unsettling few days, time spent by Moss looking at the open market, both sides hammered out a deal yesterday that made both sides happy. For the Pats, they didn’t have to break the bank to keep the man who brought their offense to a different, often other-worldly level. The Pats kept the wide receiver in the fold with a 3-year, $27 million contract - $15 million guaranteed, with a $12 million signing bonus - that made Moss one of the highest paid receivers in the league.

Moss deal was something that had to get done

bostonherald.com - And just like that, everything’s all right. The Patriots stopped the bleeding in a major way yesterday, re-signing wide receiver Randy Moss to a three-year, $27 million contract that puts to rest any concerns about his frustration level or his desire to play with Daunte Culpepper - not to mention the growing unease among Patriots fans that the 2008 offseason would represent one giant step backward. Had the Pats lost Moss, it would have been hard to view it any other way. But now the team can resume the offseason we expected, filling holes at linebacker and cornerback on what once again should be a Super Bowl-caliber team.

Aiken brings special touch

boston.com - Feeling it was a prime opportunity to boost their special teams units, the Patriots contacted Bills receiver Sam Aiken shortly after free agency began last Friday. Aiken was flattered by the early interest. more stories like this "Coach [Bill] Belichick reached out at around 11 that morning, and that was a big deal to him," said Alvin Keels, Aiken's agent. "That call made him feel like the Patriots really wanted him." Yesterday, the sides finalized a two-year contract that could be worth a maximum of $2 million if Aiken reaches all incentives.

Gay heads home

boston.com - Another day of free agency, another departed cornerback for the Patriots. Yesterday, Randall Gay followed in the footsteps of Asante Samuel, who signed with the Philadelphia Eagles Friday, agreeing to a four-year deal with the New Orleans Saints that co